“Big Loss”: Simone Biles’ New Coaches Add to Gymnastics Community Worries

World Champions Centre (WCC) in Spring, Texas, is currently at the heart of the gymnastics world, and for good reason. Founded by Simone Biles’ parents, this gym has become the birthplace of legends, with stars like Biles, Jordan Chiles (2020, 2024), and 2024 Olympic alternate Joscelyn Roberson training there. Since 2017, renowned coaches Laurent and Cecile Landi have been integral to the gym’s rise, shaping WCC into a global powerhouse. However, with the Landis stepping away, the big question now is: who will lead the next generation of champions at the most successful private gymnastics club in the world?

The answer? WCC has made some major moves by bringing in Patrick Kiens and Daymon Jones, both of whom are experienced coaches with deep ties to the Olympic stage. Kiens, who coached Romania in the 2024 Olympics, and Jones, who has previously coached Austria and Egypt, are now taking the reins of WCC’s women’s artistic gymnastics program. But here’s the challenge: can they step into the immense shoes left by the Landis?

Patrick Kiens and Daymon Jones aren’t just any coaches; they’ve coached at three Olympics, seven World Championships, and twelve European Championships. They have worked as consultants for national teams around the world and even helped shape the new Code of Points for the International Gymnastics Federation.

It is safe to say, they know the ins and outs of the sport. But here’s where it gets juicy: both Kiens and Jones were coaching for Romania, which has recently been at the center of a major controversy involving Jordan Chiles’ floor routine in Paris. Even though at last bronze was given to Chiles’ Romanian counterpart, Ana Barbosu.

Now, as they head to WCC after 12 years with the Romanian team, the big question is—can they bring that same magic to their new role? Fans on Reddit are already talking, curious to see if they can recreate their success at a whole new gym but at the same time are worried.

With Simone Biles’ WCC new coaches, Romania might face downfall again

The gymnastics world is definitely buzzing after coaches Patrick Kiens and Daymon Jones announced they are leaving Romania’s program to join WCC. One fan joked, “Looks like WCC is going to produce great choreography! Wonder what this means for Romania though,” Another one added, “Yeah I think the Romanian Renaissance is over. I do wonder if some US gym parents will allow their darlings to reduce their difficulty even a little in order to take advantage of this expertise though.” It’s clear fans are curious if Romania’s gymnastics program can still shine without these two heavy hitters.

Kiens and Jones have serious credentials. Kiens was Romania’s head coach in 2024 and has also coached for Egypt and the Netherlands. He’s got 7 World Championships and 12 European Championships to his name, plus years of experience consulting for various national teams. Jones, who also coached Romania in 2024, has 5 World Championships and 7 European Championships under his belt, and he’s currently coaching Germany’s national team. Together, they’ve worked with teams around the world, from South Africa to Great Britain. But now, they’re heading to WCC. But the question comes: what was the reason for the downfall of Romania?

Romania’s gymnastics legacy was legendary, starting with Nadia Comaneci’s perfect 10 in 1976, but things have changed over the years. After a rough patch in 2016, when Romania couldn’t even defend their medal streak, the country has struggled to bounce back. By 2021, they were still trying to regain their footing, with a few athletes like Larisa Iordache and more. The team was getting back into the groove but with economic challenges and the shadow of the Karolyi abuse scandal still lingering, it’s been tough to fully rebuild.

Despite the efforts to revive the program, with Kiens and Jones now gone, fans are left wondering: can Romania rise again, or is the golden era of Romanian gymnastics over? One fan said, “Honestly if the Romanian “old guard” gets somebody of their ilk to replace them, I would expect the Romania glow-up to be over…” Another fan chimed in with, “They have officially parted ways with Romania right after the Olympics and it was rumored that everyone involved knew this would happen long before that, so it comes as no surprise to Ana and all the girls. I so wish they would have stayed, they did amazing with both technical and moral growth, but who can blame them for wanting to leave a messy and unsupportive system? Huge career achievement, I wish them all the best!”

It’s clear that people see the huge impact Kiens and Jones had, but there’s also a lot of understanding about why they chose to leave Romania behind after all the chaos. And then, of course, there’s the whole drama with Chiles’ floor routine at the Paris Olympics. Kiens and Jones were part of the team that helped Romania land a bronze medal, but things got a little messy when Laurent Landi’s inquiry bumped Jordan Chiles’ difficulty score above Romania’s Ana Barbosu. The Romanian Gymnastics Federation, which neither Kiens nor Jones was a part of, argued that the inquiry was submitted just seconds late, and the independent court decided to take Chiles’ medal away and give it to Barbosu instead.

One fan shared, “Big loss for Romania. So much homoph***c hate from Romanian fans these past few years, glad they’re in a better place now.” Another added, “So, say Simone decides she’s not done.. do we think she stays at WCC or goes wherever Laurent is?” It’s still unclear whether Simone Biles will compete in the 2028 LA Olympics or she will retire, or if she does decide to participate, who she’ll train with. What we do know is that Cecile Canqueteau-Landi left WCC in August after the Paris Olympics to take a co-head coaching position at the University of Georgia.

Her husband, Laurent Landi followed her by the end of the year. So, with both of them leaving, it leaves a lot of questions hanging for both Team USA and Romania. Will the changes affect their future performances? Fans are definitely keeping a close eye on what happens next for both teams.